Why Did Men in Black III Go Into Production Without a Script?

Why Did Men in Black III Go Into Production Without a Script?

The current issue of The Hollywood Reporter has a fascinating look at the making of Men in Black III that explores the question of why production on such a high-budget film began with only one act of the script written. The story also appears on the mag's website.

By EdGross - Mar 10, 2011 02:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Men in Black
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

"The studio built in a break in production that was scheduled to last from late December through mid-February, during which the remainder of the screenplay was supposed to be completed," notes the report. "Now the hiatus has been extended until March 28, and a new writer, David Koepp, who did uncredited work on the first MIB, has been brought on board to work out complex script issues involving time travel."

This delay is costing the production millions, but apparently things will balance out in the end because of New York state tax breaks that would have been lost if MIB III did not start shooting by late 2010. Other executives have commented that no tax break in the world is worth what Sony is doing with this film.

Says The Hollywood Reporter, "MIB III, scheduled to open in 3D in May 2012, has a budget that will easily pass $200 million. In the story, Will Smith's character returns to 1969 and encounters famous figures of the day, like Yoko Ono, as well as a younger version of Tommy Lee Jones' Agent K (played by Josh Brolin)."



Although Sony sticks with the tax break scenario, the story in THR states that others believe production was rushed out of fear the studio would lose Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and director Barry Sonnenfeld. Continues the story, "Smith and the others agreed to reunite based on a script from Tropic Thunder writer Etan Cohen. But though that version found favor with the studio, Sonnenfeld and producer Walter Parkes, Smith wanted changes. 'He's become very enamored with aspects of screenwriting,' says a source involved with the production. The source believes Smith has earned the right to weigh in on the script, but he says the actor's process 'takes a long time.'"

Production was delayed from the originally scheduled October to November due to the script, and when filming commenced, Catch Me If You Can writer Jeff Nathanson was hired to work on it. By mid-february, when the hiatus came to an end, supposedly the script problems were not solved. The Hollywood Reporter story also quotes a former studio chief as saying, "If he [Smith] wasn't satisfied after it's been years in development, how are you going to fix that at Christmas?"

Things have reportedly not gotten better, and to read much more -- including a recurring conflict between Sonnenfeld and producer Walter Parkes -- follow the link to read the rest of this intriguing story.

For fans of the franchise, all of this does NOT bode well, and tax break or not, one does have to wonder what the upside of going into production with only one third of a screenplay completed truly is.
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marvel72
marvel72 - 3/10/2011, 3:57 AM
its gonna suck anyway like the previous two.
blvdnoise
blvdnoise - 3/10/2011, 4:08 AM
They started production so early to shoot pics/teasers ect. You really only need the cast, a few black suits, and an open lot for MIB promo. These films aren't Oscar winners, but always entertaining.. Lets not sh*t all over it til' we get a real trailer sometime this summer.
Deadshot
Deadshot - 3/10/2011, 5:23 AM
Exactly what intruder said.
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 3/10/2011, 5:32 AM
I CAN SEE HIM AS TOMMY LEE JONES BUT YOUNG...

YourMomNaked
YourMomNaked - 3/10/2011, 5:35 AM
These movies suck and people that liked them would like any garbage, so why not?!
DR3D
DR3D - 3/10/2011, 6:52 AM
Will Smith + ??? = Profit

Movies can sale off face value it's as simple as that. It's known as good faith.
RyKnow
RyKnow - 3/10/2011, 7:42 AM
One word about what's going to happen with this film; SHELVED.
superdog
superdog - 3/10/2011, 8:15 AM
theres no way theyll shelve it theres too much money involved. regardless of what we think of these movies they make lots of money, just like the transformers movies. if they have to do it with a half assed script they will cause it will still make money.
RyKnow
RyKnow - 3/10/2011, 8:35 AM
@ superdog - Yeah, but with the amount of money they've already spent on it it'd have to make more money than Avatar to make any kind of profit lol. Seriously though, they're running into the millions, and there isn't even a script yet. I think they'll cut their losses and shelve it.
superdog
superdog - 3/10/2011, 8:47 AM
no way. it wont need to make as much as you think. there talking 200 million. thats probably the budget for avengers. it will make that at the box office alone not including toy merchandising, dvds, netflix etc.....hell the last two made more than 200 mill in north america alone.
Bigbywolf
Bigbywolf - 3/10/2011, 9:50 AM
I don't have much faith in this film if they have taken on that many writers; too many cooks in the kitchen don't always make a great meal.

@ Daybot, Will Smith does seem to have a very good record of creating box office hits even with mediocre films. Even if i'm right and this turns out to be a mess, I wouldn't bet against this doing well at the box office.
comicbookjerk
comicbookjerk - 3/10/2011, 10:41 AM
I think they did the same for Dragonball Evolution and Look how great that turned out :)...








Oh wait :() never mind that movie was horrible....
ISleepNow
ISleepNow - 3/10/2011, 11:45 AM
Since when do the MIB films have 'scripts'?
NiteSoul69
NiteSoul69 - 3/10/2011, 10:24 PM
i think will smith was in dragonball evolution and look how great that turned out :)...


oh wait :() never mind that movie didnt have will smith in it

just like bigbywolf said, will smith does seem to have a very good record of selling movie tickets, not a hugh smith fan but his name alone sells tickets, and yes even as horrible as dragonball evolution was, it would have made a lot more money had it stared will smith some how lol
RyKnow
RyKnow - 3/11/2011, 1:38 AM
@ superdog - Yeah, but the difference between Avengers and MIB3 is that Avengers has a script and is in pre-production. But don't take what I say as gospel. It's just an observation. In the back of my mind, I'm sure MIB3 will do just fine :)
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